Posted on 04/25/2006 4:47:30 PM PDT by NYer
Though published 3 years ago, before the death of JPII, this aricle truly addresses the dilemnas faced by both Catholic and Orthodox and is worth the read.
Rather a pity that the reunion didn't happen in 1450, it could have saved Constantinopolos from the sack, rape, and murder by Muslim scum.
Not that all Muslims are scum, mind you. Just the ones who sack, rape, and murder entire cities.
"Looking Eastward - IS THERE HOPE FOR CATHOLIC-ORTHODOX REUNION?"
Not this side of the Second Coming.
Through God and with God, anything is possible, right?
Why did you bother to ping me with this garbage?
Dear rzeznikj at stout,
It goes without saying that with the direct, divine, supernatural, and miraculous intervention of God, it may be accomplished.
But I don't believe that the human paths of the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches otherwise converge, even given God's ordinary grace.
sitetest
In the practical and real-world sense, I agree--there is a lot that would need to be hashed out and reconciled--it will be a while.
With anything there is hope--and that is key.
There is hope for the healing of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. There is hope for the abolition of abortion and euthanasia. There is hope for the American Church, regardless of how liberal it has become. And there is hope for the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches to reconcile.
If anything, you and I may just simply disagree on this one, that's all...;)
IS THERE HOPE FOR CATHOLIC-ORTHODOX REUNION?
I don't think it will happen in my lifetime, at least in the sense that the author of this article seems to define reunion: formal reunion between the Orthodox and Catholic churches.
At this time of year, I always have ringing in my ears the troparion of the Resurrection: "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life." (or close to it).
Which brings to mind a great story that I like to believe is true:
When the Communists finally reached into the Russian villages in the early 1920's, a commissar came to one such place and called all the poeple together to harangue them on atheist materialism and such like. Finally the priest asked meekly if he could say something. "Make it brief," replied the commissar, "your thought is not relevant any longer here."
So the priest simply turned to the people and said:
"Brothers, Christ is Risen!"
"Indeed He is Risen!" came the reply.
And turning to the commissar, the priest said, "that is all I need to say."
"Today, however, hapless Eastern layfolk in many places face just as odious a forced "de-Latinization."
What is he talking about? Last I checked, there weren't roving mobs of fanatical eastern Catholics running around out there. The "Kalachi Liberation Front" is not pounding down the doors of eastern Catholics who are seen carrying a Rosary.
Oh, yes indeed!
Yeah like those jerks in 1204 did.
Its an interesting pic for an eccumenical article considering what the Latins did last time they were in that building.
In 1450 the Eccumenical Patriarch and the Metropolitan of Kiev were puppets of a puppet-emperor. When the Eastern representatives at the council insisted that they must ratify any statement in Synod form in Greece, the Latins ignored it, publshed the statement anyway and sent them packing. (Even NewAdvent catholic encyclopedia admits this much).
It would be interesting to see what would have happened if they had been allowed to convene in Synodal form, but seeing as the Latins pre-empted this in an attempt to unilaterally decree a decision, it is on the Latins for destroying any chance at union.
About a century latter Rome again tried this, but dispensed with any pretense of there being a mutual union. After the Union of Brest any Orthodox were arrested or killed, many tortured.
I supposed that the joys of Islamic conquest would make Latin conquest look tame by comparison. But I understand the resentment. Genoans also ferried the Turks across to Europe.
Note my tagline.
For the record the Muslims only raped and pilaged for 3 days, and the crusaders 4.
Still the crusaders arrived to a fresh kill, they had a lot more looting to do.
Myself, I have no dog in this fight. I am not a Christian. I guess that the Latins thought that whey were in a better position to bargain than the Orthodox. I sure agree, it is bad manners, at least, to demand rudely what you could get by willing cooperation.
I also don't care for the very foundation of the Post Constantine empire: One G-d, One Empire, one Emperor. The Coptics were so oppressed by the Romanai that they welcomed the Muslims. Alas, the Muslim tolerance did not last.
The Crusades did not workout either, though Richard I of England carried the cresent and star (symbol of Diana, a patron of the ancient city of Byzos, and the star of the Virgin Mary added after Constantine) his support for Constantinopolos) on his crest while on Crusade.
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